title: DHA improves cognition and prevents dysfunction of entorhinal cortex neurons in 3xTg-AD mice.
abstract: Defects in neuronal activity of the entorhinal cortex (EC) are suspected to underlie the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Whereas neuroprotective effects of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) have been described, the effects of DHA on the physiology of EC neurons remain unexplored in animal models of AD. Here, we show that DHA consumption improved object recognition (↑12%), preventing deficits observed in old 3xTg-AD mice (↓12%). Moreover, 3xTg-AD mice displayed seizure-like akinetic episodes, not detected in NonTg littermates and partly prevented by DHA (↓50%). Patch-clamp recording revealed that 3xTg-AD EC neurons displayed (i) loss of cell capacitance (CC), suggesting reduced membrane surface area; (ii) increase of firing rate versus injected current (F-I) curve associated with modified action potentials, and (iii) overactivation of glutamatergic synapses, without changes in synaptophysin levels. DHA consumption increased CC (↑12%) and decreased F-I slopes (↓21%), thereby preventing the opposite alterations observed in 3xTg-AD mice. Our results indicate that cognitive performance and basic physiology of EC neurons depend on DHA intake in a mouse model of AD.
authors.affiliation: Faculté de pharmacie, Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: Dany
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Arsenault
authors.forename: Carl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Julien
authors.forename: Cyntia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tremblay
authors.forename: Frédéric
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Calon
mesh_terms: D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D000818:Animals; D016718:Arachidonic Acid / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D001923:Brain Chemistry; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D019610:Cytoprotection / Q000187:drug effects; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D018728:Entorhinal Cortex / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009474:Neurons / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D009994:Osmolar Concentration
chemical_list: D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids; D016718:Arachidonic Acid